Plans for a new rehabilitation centre and transition flats at Hamilton Accies Football Club have been given initial planning approval.
Situated in the North Stand and stadium grounds, the Recovery and Wellbeing Village will anchor a 30-bed rehabilitation centre with a further 20 supported transition flats where people will receive the support they need to recover and become active members of a connected community being developed around the village.
This innovative and holistic approach, based at a sporting stadium, is a first of type in the UK.
The 'change of use' approval at the stadium now allows the formal design phase of the programme to commence, including full engagement with all stakeholders across Lanarkshire to co-design what services will be available.
The aim is to develop a village and connected, compaasionate community that benefits people across the county, with the design to incorporate public spaces offering wellbeing resources that anyone can access to enhance their own physical and mental wellbeing.
Hamilton Accies director Colin McGowan has backed the ambitious project, working in conjunction with third sector parties including Blue Triangle who is a national social care and social housing organisation.
He told Lanarkshire Live : "Our Recovery and Wellbeing Village would nurture and equip people across Scotland who struggle with substance misuse to recover from anything that is stopping them from fulfilling their potential and thriving in their life. It would be a first of type in the country and would be a demonstrator and a blueprint that could be replicated across Scotland.
“The community we are building would join the dots to overcome system barriers and achieve the recovery and wellbeing outcomes we know are possible for those who need it most.
"We are delighted that South Lanarkshire Council has recognised our vision to help people and have given this approval that allows us to design something that will save and improve lives for people and families in Lanarkshire.”
Hamilton Accies have long since operated impactful poverty alleviation, social inclusion and wellbeing enhancement outreach programmes within the community, already sing-posting people with addiction issues to the 12-step recovery programme.
The club also supports the successful Blameless charity, for families and people affected by addiction, and also runs the Hamilton Accies Community Trust which tackles poverty of all forms through various outreach projects.
As it stands, the club currently has 23,600sq ft of space in the north stand, previously rented as office space and has spare land in the stadium grounds where it hopes to house the Village.
Colin added: "We look forward to starting our formal engagement with care professionals, delivery partners, people with lived experience, families, and communities to design something special, offering services and wellbeing resources that will empower people to lead healthy lives, addiction free life and active within the community.
"We remain focused on delivering something that benefits all people and families in Lanarkshire as our village will benefit anyone wanting to enhance their wellbeing.”
At a meeting of the planning committee on Tuesday, David Booth, executive director, community and enterprise resources said: It is recommended that the application for change of use be granted."
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